The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/333,691, filed Jan. 17, 2006 now U.S. Pat. No. 7,565,795.
The present disclosure relates to a piezo-resonance igniter system for passive auto ignition of a rocket engine, and more particularly to a method which utilizes the pressure energy in the propellants themselves to excite piezoelectric crystals such that high voltage electrical pulses are created to generate a spark in an igniter system.
Various conventional ignition systems have been used for ignition of a propellant mixture in a combustion chamber of a rocket engine. These ignition systems generally employed a spark induced by an electrical current from a source of electricity and a control for sensing when to supply and discontinue the spark. These conventional systems, although effective, tend to be relatively complex, heavy, and may not provide restart capability.
With the need for safe storable propellant systems such as Gaseous Oxygen (GOx) and Methane combinations, an uncomplicated fully passive auto ignition system is desired to complement the advantages of the safe storable propellants by reducing ignition system complexity, weight, and cost with increased safety and reliability.